Jyotir Linga Shiva Temples

by Sacred Sites Places of Peace and Power

Worship of shivalinga is considered the prime worship for the devotees of Lord Shiva. Worship of all other forms is considered secondary. The significance of the shivalinga is that it is the resplendent light (flame) form of the Supreme - solidified to make the worship of it easier. It represents the real nature of God - formless essentially and taking various forms as it wills.

The 12 jyotirlinga temples

There is a Sanskrit shloka that lists the twelve jyotirlinga temples.

“Saurashtre Somanathamcha Srisaile Mallikarjunam|

Ujjayinya Mahakalam Omkaramamaleswaram ||

Paralyam Vaidyanathancha Dakinyam Bheema Shankaram |

Setu Bandhethu Ramesam, Nagesam Darukavane||

Varanasyantu Vishwesam Tryambakam Gautameethate|

Himalayetu Kedaaram, Ghrishnesamcha shivaalaye||

Etani jyotirlingani, Saayam Praatah Patennarah|

Sapta Janma Kritam pApam, Smaranena Vinashyati||”

Jyotir Linga Shiva Temples are abundant throughout India's many thousands of cities and villages, yet only a small number of these temples are places of pilgrimage. This distinction arises from the fact that, while any structure may house an idol of Shiva, and thereby be used in the worship of the deity, true pilgrimage shrines are those places where Shiva has actually manifested some aspect of his divine nature

The five Bhuta Lingas are places where Shiva is said to have manifested himself as a Linga of a natural element.

Chidambaram: Ether

Sri Kalahasti: Wind

Tiruvanaikka/Jambunath: Water

Kanchipuram: Earth

Tiruvanamalai: Fire